Having recently been hand-picked by Frank Turner to play a Last Minutes show at his Lost Evenings festival, China Bears have released another fine indie-pop tune n the shape of ‘Night Calls’ – and it’s a hair-raising anthem tinged with regret. Ivan Proctor states how ‘You think I don’t recognise your heartbreak through that smile’…
Now in its sixth year, Are You Listening? Festival takes place throughout the centre of Reading this Saturday (28 April). Supporting Reading Mencap, the festival brings some of the nation’s finest alternative bands to Berkshire and this year might just be their best line-up yet. Here are just a few of our top picks from…
Paul Steel has unveiled ‘Music Makes Me Feel So Alone’, the first single from his new album ‘Carousel Kites’ (released via Raygun Records on 13 July). This is a record separated into three distinct parts of five songs, which will be released as three EPs in the build-up to the final LP release date, and…
A power-pop trio from Oslo, Spielbergs have already established themselves as a band to watch with huge success in their homeland and they’ve even broken into the Spotify viral 50 chart. Signed to new label By the Time it Gets Dark, their ‘Distant Star’ EP will be available on CD, download and limited-edition blue and…
Ahead of their fifth album ‘Vortex’ (out via Superball Music on 27 April), Alberto from instrumental Spanish post-/math-rockers Toundra talked us through five songs that have had an influence on him and his music. Baroness – ‘Board Up The House‘ Pretty obvious one. I always saw Baroness as a band oriented to people who…
Maxim S is a Helsinki-based musician whose latest project goes by the name of Plant Food. The brilliantly titled ‘Koalas Hug Trees to Keep Cool’ (out 18 April) is a record available from our friends at Fox Food Records. Recorded in Turku, Helsinki, Moscow and St Petersburg during the years of 2016-2018, it’s the sound…
After 4 years spent focusing on bringing out incredible bands on his Super Fan 99 Records label, Uncle Luc (aka Luke Barham) makes his return with new album ‘Sticking to the Rules’. Here, Luke talks us through some of the bands and songs that have influenced the record, which you can pre-order here. So I…
Warm Digits – ‘Better Friction’ An electronic duo signed to Memphis Industries (Dutch Uncles, Field Music, Warm Digits’ ‘Better Friction’ features vocals from Mia La Metta and opens with a burst of frenetic drums before all the other in-your-face sounds are thrown into the melting pot. She sings about ‘better friction’ while the synths get…
Kermes are a queer indie-punk quartet from Leicester who are signed to Robot Needs Home. They’re set to release their debut album ‘We Choose Pretty Names’ on 13 April and it’s a record that – like their soon-to-be tour mates itoldyouiwouldeatyou – tackles important and timely subjects ranging from mental health and misoginy to gender…
Luvia, the latest signing to My Little Empire Records, has unveiled the chillingly beautiful ‘For You’. Wrapped up in dreamy atmospherics, this heartfelt song is all about people who are chasing more in life and how they do things that can be a ‘quick fix in lies’, which can sometimes lead to unhealthy addiction. Luvia’s…
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